Only God can Pull off this World-WideRetreat

As DivineProvidence teaches us – we can be assured that God only allows things to happento us that have already gone through His Hands. He knows that good can come from it, even if it’s evil and injustice.

Thefollowing article was written by one of our Sisters before this crazy pandemicstarted ruling our lives with shelter-in-place, etc.  I find it very insightful – only God couldpull off a world-wide retreat for all faiths and backgrounds. We must trustthat God is doing some amazing things in people’s lives during this difficulttime.

Now is aperfect time for most of us who have a more open calendar than usual toreprioritize our lives.  Come HolySpirit!  Help us to look at our dailylives, our daily schedules, our daily priorities, and put God first.  God is good!

SMM

Rushing through prayer to work orrushing through work to pray?

“Alarm clock screaming bare feet hitthe floor
It's off to the races everybody out the door
I'm feeling like I'm falling behind, it's a crazy life

Ninety miles an hour going fast as Ican
Trying to push a little harder trying to get the upper hand
So much to do in so little time, it's a crazy life
It's ready, set, go it's another wild day
When the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel you say …”

For those who know these lyrics byJohnny Diaz, you probably know what comes next. But for the sake of thisarticle, we’ll save that for later.

How many times have you felt this waywhen that alarm clock rings in the morning? It seems like we all do at times.It also seems that the “business” of life just gets busier and busier with eachpassing day. While work is part of a balanced life (got to work, pray, rest andplay), does it not too often take the lead in our lives? And it doesn’t stopwith work. Activities can take more time from our day thereby making it even busier.Enter the next verse of Mr. Diaz’s song:

“Third cup of joe just to get me throughthe day
Want to make the most of time but I feel it slipaway
I wonder if there's something more to this crazylife
 

I'm busy, busy, busy, and it's no surprise to see
That I only have time for me, me, me
There's gotta be something more to this crazylife
I'm hanging on tight to another wild day
When it starts to fall apart in my heart I hearyou say just …” (Wait for it …)

Now, we all know how to work, rest (sometimes) and play, butprayer seems to get pushed to the proverbial back burner of our lives. When wedo take time to pray, it can be distracted and interrupted with the businessthat commands our attention. One summer, our retreat master, Fr. Dan Estes,SOLT, asked all of us a simple question, “Am I rushing through prayer to getback to work? Or am I rushing through work to get back to prayer?”

We are all human beings. Not human doings. We need to takethe time to pray and:

“Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe.”

Whose feet are we resting near? Jesus’ feet, of course! LikeMary and Martha. Mary chooses to rest and take a breather at the feet of Jesuswhen he comes over for dinner. Martha is in “busy mode,” which has its place,but all Jesus wants is for her to come and join her sister, Mary, who is in“breathing mode.” And as Mr. Diaz so eloquently puts it …

“Chaos calls but all you really need…

Is to take it in, fill your lungs
The peace of God that overcomes
Just breathe (just breathe)
Let your weary spirit rest
Lay down what's good and find what's best
Just breathe (just breathe).”

Busy is good, but “lay down what’sgood and find what’s BEST” and breathe in God’s amazing love for you. Put Godat the center of your life and He will do the rest. He is waiting for you totalk to Him throughout your day. So next time you are “busy, busy, busy”rushing through your day, remember to stop and take some time to pray … andjust breathe.

“Am I rushing through prayer to get back to work (or my ownschedule)?
Or am I rushing through work to get back to prayer?”

God is Love!  He’sthirsting for time with you and wants to fulfill your every desire and give youthe grace to surrender everything you struggle with!  (see John 19:28)

Seek first theKingdom of God and all these things will be given to you . . . (Mt. 6:33)